Idiot's Lantern, Redux
by Jaxin88
Summary: What if the Doctor eventually got Rose to Elvis' concert?


**A/N: This is just a quick little story based on an illustration I did- I liked the idea of the Doctor and Rose eventually getting to Elvis' concert.**

Rose leaned against the Doctor as they walked back to the TARDIS, her hand loosely clasped in his. He closed his eyes for a moment, tightening his grip on her. _I almost lost her today, all because I wouldn't listen to her. And she knew. Of course she knew. _

"Doctor?" They'd reached the TARDIS by then, and Rose stopped to peer up into his face. "Are you okay?"

"Oh, I'm fine." He slipped his key in the lock and strode in, tossing his long coat across the railing. He was fiddling with the controls when a small hand reached out to take his, the nails tipped in a soft pink that matched her dress.

"No, you're not." He glanced up to meet her eyes and paused, arrested at the sight of her face in the aqua glow of the TARDIS, her eyes dark with worry. He hadn't thought he'd see that sight ever again.

He reached out a hand helplessly, tracing the soft line of her cheekbone. He swallowed as she leaned into his touch. When he spoke, he was surprised at how husky his voice was. "I'm really all right now, Rose."

She smiled up at him and his composure broke. That smile, that beautiful smile—he'd nearly lost it forever. Rose Tyler's face was made for smiling, and to see that wiped away like a chalkboard mistake had been almost enough to break him. He honestly didn't know what he would've done if she hadn't been restored. She was hugging him now, her arms wrapped tight around his torso, and he realized he was shaking. Her voice washed over him as she spoke into his suit jacket. "I'm here, Doctor. You've got me. I'm not gonna leave you."

_If only that were true._ He closed his eyes against his traitorous thoughts, clutching her to him desperately. She was here in his arms, safe and whole. He wasn't going to think about the inevitable day when his arms were empty of her. He leaned his head against her golden hair, focusing only on the soft warmth of her body against his. _No matter what may come, she's here now, and I love her._ His eyes flew open. _Love her? What did that have to do with anything?_

A Northern-accented voice rang through his thoughts. _What d'you think, pretty boy? We know how special she is. Plan on doin' anythin' about it?_

He swallowed. _How could I? We're going to lose her someday, and what am I supposed to do then?_

An old, reedy voice spoke up. _My boy, in the years to come, do you really think regrets will be sweeter than memories?_

His eyes opened again, and he stared at the console. His past selves were right. No matter how many years would come and go he'd never forget the look on Rose's face when she came into the console room that morning, the wide crinoline of her dress flaring up around her as she whirled, laughing with delight. She'd been so _happy_, and he'd mucked it up with poor driving—but maybe he could make it right, now. For her, he'd try anything. He gave Rose one last squeeze and stepped back, eyes searching her face. "Enough about me, Rose, how are you?"

Her mouth turned up in a lopsided smile. "'m fine, Doctor." She snorted a little, tucking her hair behind her ears. "Didn't have much to do for a while there, so I'm feelin' a bit antsy."

He grinned at her. "Well then, I've got just the place."

Her eyes lit up, just as he'd hoped they would. "Should I go get changed, then?"

"No, you're perfect." That had come out a bit more sincere than he'd intended, and he cleared his throat and ducked around the console to escape her wide-eyed look of surprise. "New York, here we come!"

Rose laughed and grabbed for the railing as the TARDIS jerked into flight. "Are we talkin' New York, New York or London, New York? Or no, are we gonna end up in New New York?"

"Rose Tyler, that hurts! No, we're going to be a part of it, make a brand new start of it!" He'd ended up singing by the end, and Rose was giggling helplessly at him.

"You've definitely got the vagabond shoes part down pat—nobody else'll wear 'em."

"Oi! Cheeky. I'll have you know these shoes saved my life today." The TARDIS settled with a thump and it knocked Rose off balance, wiping away the suddenly stricken look on her face. The Doctor grabbed her hand with a bright grin. "Come on, then. The King awaits."

The doors creaked open into a dimly-lit corner of the studio, all the lights focused on the glittering curtains at the front. A neatly dressed band was backing a dark-haired man that was crooning into the swooning crowd, his smooth voice nearly drowned out by the shrieking audience. The Doctor tugged Rose after him, weaving their way through the crowd to the front. Elvis looked out at the crowd, a smirk growing on his face. With a nod at the band, he broke into 'Hound Dog', and Rose and the Doctor were nearly deafened by the screams. The crowd around them wrapped them up in movement and Rose grabbed the Doctor and started dancing, her face lit up with joy.

The Doctor grinned down at her as they twirled and swayed, memorizing her happiness—the way her eyes sparkled, how her nose crinkled up just that little bit every time she sent him one of those heart-stopping grins. If he could do this—make her this happy—well, it's not a bad thing to be good at, is it? Making Rose Tyler happy? He pulled her close as the band shifted into a softer melody, the strumming of Elvis' guitar soft and plaintive.

_Wise men say, only fools rush in… but I can't help falling in love with you._ He'd tried to ignore it, tried to pretend that Rose was just another companion, but he'd lived too long and knew himself too well for that to work. _Shall I stay, would it be a sin? If I can't help, falling in love with you. _He sometimes thought he'd been lost from the moment he took her hand. He should've left her behind, let her get on with her life, but he was too selfish for that. He would've kept asking until she said yes, his pride be damned.

_Take my hand, take my whole life, too… _ and she had, hadn't she? His life was mad and dangerous and completely brilliant, and she'd taken to it like a fish to water. "Travelling with you, I love it." _Like a river flows surely to the sea, darling so it goes, some things are meant to be… _he'd been falling ever since "There's me", and he was finally ready to land. She'd catch him.

She swallowed as she stared up at him, her tongue darting out to wet her lips. With a sigh and a smile, the Doctor leaned down to catch her lips with his. Rose was still for a long moment, but as the song drew to a close she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, one hand reaching up to play with his carefully arranged hair as he slipped his tongue into her mouth, groaning at the taste of lemonade and Rose.

There was a cleared throat from beside them, and the Doctor reluctantly broke away from Rose. She looked adorably dazed, her lips reddened by the kiss and her eyes wide. It was a good look for her, and one he'd hopefully see more often. A grim-faced man in a dark brown suit was standing next to them, his arms crossed. "Sir, I'm going to have to ask you and your lady friend to leave."

The Doctor looked at Rose and couldn't resist dropping another quick kiss on her lips. With his face still close to hers, he grinned at her. "Hey, Rose?"

She cleared her throat. "Yes, Doctor?"

"Run."


End file.
